Chimaera Dash Removal Again

[PhysDoc]

Hi,

I'm having trouble locating the bolts to remove the dash top on my 96 chimp, although I'm having the reverse problem to what others seem to have. I *think* I have located the difficult one on the driver's side. It's horizontal and kinda points diagonally out of the car. Although when I undid it, nothing appeared loose.

But the two on the passenger side that are supposed to be easier just aint there. The panel where the glove pocket is is in the way. I can just peer behind it but can't see anything that looks like a nut to undo. Any pictures of the passenger side?

Thanks in advance.

[bobfather]

I get to the front nut by removing the audio dash. The windscreen nut I access by lowering the under dash glove pocket

[ianwayne]

The glove 'pouch' is held on with 2 screws and there should be a big hole under it. Thi shows you roughly where they are:

http://www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/alarms/TVR_Chimae...

I found the easiest way to access the one nearest the front is to take the stereo out and go in that way.

[ou sont les biscuits]

ianwayne said:

The glove 'pouch' is held on with 2 screws and there should be a big hole under it. Thi shows you roughly where they are:

http://www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/alarms/TVR_Chimae...

I found the easiest way to access the one nearest the front is to take the stereo out and go in that way.

My experience with the centre bolt was the opposite - I got at it through the service pouch flap. There was just to much stuff at the side of the radio, even when you've taken the DIN cage out. The immobiliser, some sort of control box for something or other......

FWIW, there are often little marks or rips on the vinyl roll that runs across the car above the radio. Ofttimes That tells you where the bolt is, because it's really easy to rip the trim with the end of the captive bolt when you put the dash back.

Edited to add here's a photo of mine with the dash top off. You can see the hole for the bolt centre right.

Edited by ou sont les biscuits on Sunday 12th February 16:13

Edited by ou sont les biscuits on Sunday 12th February 16:16

[PhysDoc]

Ahhh, thanks. Think I'll tackle it next weekend now because I'll lose the light soon and I've hurt my back being upside down in the footwell.


Edit. Just nipped outside and undid the glove pocket screws. Can feel the bolts now. As I say, I'm pretty sure I've found the correct bolt on the rhs. What's holding the bolt captive? When I've undone the nut, do I need to push the bolt through?

Edited by PhysDoc on Sunday 12th February 16:42

[ou sont les biscuits]

PhysDoc said:

Ahhh, thanks. Think I'll tackle it next weekend now because I'll lose the light soon and I've hurt my back being upside down in the footwell.

I don't recall needing to be upside down!

It's easy to get at the drivers side one by taking the wheel off. You can then just wriggle your arm up behind the dash vent. (OK if you are right handed).

The far side passenger one is the same - get-attable sitting in the passenger seat with your nose pressed up against the dash

[Belle427]

PhysDoc said:

Ahhh, thanks. Think I'll tackle it next weekend now because I'll lose the light soon and I've hurt my back being upside down in the footwell.


Edit. Just nipped outside and undid the glove pocket screws. Can feel the bolts now. As I say, I'm pretty sure I've found the correct bolt on the rhs. What's holding the bolt captive? When I've undone the nut, do I need to push the bolt through?

Edited by PhysDoc on Sunday 12th February 16:42

The bolt is fixed to the dash, i found it easier to take all the bolts out and lift up the dash slightly so it clears the instrument panel. You can then pull gently toward the rear of the car, be careful as the bolt can catch the leather on the panel beneath the windscreen.

[Paulprior]

I had the same thoughts, what do I do now that I have all the nuts off, but it was just the upper panel being stuck to the lower one, after a tap or 2 it soon became free

[ou sont les biscuits]

Belle427 said:

PhysDoc said:

Ahhh, thanks. Think I'll tackle it next weekend now because I'll lose the light soon and I've hurt my back being upside down in the footwell.


Edit. Just nipped outside and undid the glove pocket screws. Can feel the bolts now. As I say, I'm pretty sure I've found the correct bolt on the rhs. What's holding the bolt captive? When I've undone the nut, do I need to push the bolt through?

Edited by PhysDoc on Sunday 12th February 16:42

The bolt is fixed to the dash, i found it easier to take all the bolts out and lift up the dash slightly so it clears the instrument panel. You can then pull gently toward the rear of the car, be careful as the bolt can catch the leather on the panel beneath the windscreen.

It's worth getting someone else to sit in the passenger seat while you try and prise the dash loose. It's big, unwieldy, surprisingly heavy and difficult to balance on your own. It's far easier with two people. I also stuck gaffer tape all over the trim that the captive bolts might touch on the way out. I'm glad I did that

[Jon100p]

Hi,

I have been struggling to remove my dash top (93 Chim). I have found and undone the 3 nuts; managed to lift the passenger side so the bolts are clear of the holes and lifted the driver's side a little but I just can't get enough movement on the driver's side to get the bolt free of the hole. I am frightened to apply too much force in case I rip some vinyl or crack the veneer. There is just not enough clearance and the dash top get stuck hard up against the top right of veneered dash.

Any suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong will be welcome.

Thanks,
Jon

[FoxTVR430]

Hi John,
Funny that, I have just had exatly the same problem! Also a 93' model.
What I ended up doing was getting a bit more force until the bolt started to come out of the hole. Then I had to get a 10mm spanner to undo the nut on the dash cover side. (If that makes sense) Then push the bolt further into the dash top (making it shorter) and then finally able to remove the dash top.

I know that it seems that the verner will break or something, but mine did not ( it has a metal backing). I did loosen / lift the verner panel so that it came a little bit forward.
When the dash top was out, the first thing I did was to replace the bolt with a shorter one!
I will try and find a photo, to show the bolt : spanner position.

[Jon100p]

Thanks for the tips, I will try again at the w/e.
Jon

[bobfather]

The third bolt hole in the windscreen dash section is quite large. I bolted a bung to the dash top which inserts neatly into the hole for the third bolt. Dash removal and refit is now very simple. Guide the bung into the third hole and bolt up the two passenger side fixings with wing-nuts. It has been like that since 2014 without issue and in that time I've had the dash top off 3 times. Removal / refit is now a 5 minute task

[wily_coyote]

You might find that this helps: https://youtu.be/zFVnRCKl5zg

[Jon100p]

Finally got the dash top off today. I had to use a junior hacksaw down the gap where the spanner is shown in the photo by FoxTVR430 and cut about 5mm off the bolt. The bolts on mine are not set screws with nuts but stud plates riveted in the dash.

I now have another problem - the instrument lights don't work so I may have dislodged something during the struggle (or it could be coincidence). I have checked the fuses and the switch under the dash - all seem to be OK - any ideas?

Thanks for the help.

[ianwayne]

You may have blown the fuse. Is the clock working? It runs off the same power feed as all the instrument illumination.

[Jon100p]

Thanks for the suggestion but the clock is working.